Kawasaki Meguro S1 Launched In Thailand

Legendary OEMs reviving old badges is nothing new. We have witnessed such initiatives several times in the past, like Classic Legends reviving the BSA Gold Star 650. Joining this list now is Kawasaki with the new Meguro S1 based on its classic retro roadster, the W230. Based on the same platform as the latter, the new Kawasaki Meguro S1 is the successor to the Kawasaki 250 Meguro SG which was in production back in the 1960s.

Known for its large capacity engines, Meguro motorcycles were always popular in the Japanese market. So much so that the brand was absorbed by Kawasaki back then itself. To pay tribute to this historic Japanese marque, the new Meguro S1 has been launched, however, in Thailand only. 

Underneath all that glimmer and shine is a relatively simple bike. It is built around the same steel double-frame chassis, suspended by simpler telescopic fork and dual-shock absorbers. And it's powered by the same air-cooled, single-cylinder, 233 cc engine that produces 17.29 bhp and 18.6 Nm, as the Kawasaki W230.

However, where the Kawasaki Meguro S1 differs from the W230 is with its styling. It’s classic design elements are directly inspired by roadster motorcycles in the 60s and 70s. The detailing on the bike looks quite regal, especially with that Meguro emblem on the teardrop-shaped fuel tank. Additionally, the amalgamation of chrome and black is a further extension of the same theme, thus making it more retro in appeal than the W230.

Sadly, Kawasaki has not disclosed any plans to launch the new Meguro S1 in India. Coupled with that, since the Kawasaki W230 is also not available in India, the chances of the latter's launch seem to be next to nil. If you're still interested in buying a classic roadster motorcycle from team Green, the brand has the W175 range on sale in India, which starts from ₹1.22 lakh (ex-showroom, India), while its Street variant will set you back by ₹1.35 lakh (ex-showroom, India).